Sorry I don't have something more catchy like the word "poop" on my blog...obviously I get more readers with words like that! Onto the next subject at hand...spiritual closet cleaning!
As a seasoned fashion designer in my past life I always looked forward to Spring. Here in the Northeast, we’ve had a long long winter and now with the trees blooming, pollen flying around, the season of change certainly is in the air. I used to plan as a designer almost a year in advance, search the trends in the market of fashion and translate them into marketable products. I have to admit, I loved... loved my job. I still have a deep emotional attachment to the seasons and how they evoke certain states of mind in society and how that carries over into something as simple as our culture in the form of dress. My favorite thing about being a designer was watching the trends that I had investigated and researched slowly become reality as people bought certain pieces of clothing and that I had the foreknowledge that floral prints or certain color combos were going to be a major trend in the stores. Everything believe it or not influences things like hem line, silhouette, the type of fabric used, colors, merchandising or a detail like ruffles...right down to the political environment, the movies that win the Oscars, the economy and other real time events.
One of the most important things that prevented me in my job to move ahead mentally and artistically was if I didn’t have a chance to clean out my office after each season that was crazily done to meet deadlines for the manufacturing process. I just simply couldn’t work on spring when the winter collection of whatever I was working on graced the presence of my desk.
I recently did a major cleaning raid of my closet, it is spring cleaning time after all. I had to look at each piece of clothing and in some cases mourn the loss of how wonderful a bargain that outfit was, or how great I looked in that size whatever skirt....as I have put on the post child pounds. My world as a stay at home mom is much different than it was 8 years ago. I no longer need the same kind of wardrobe I had when I worked in an office. I have to admit, I’ve held onto some pieces thinking I’ll return to that world of fashion or a work environment that would have me dress for success. My uniform as a Mom is different. Yoga pants, jeans, sneakers or shoes that enable me to chase after my 3 kids in the mud are more suitable for my current job and the accessories are more in line with duffle bag than a Coach clutch.
I still can’t move forward menality without cleaning the closets every season but it’s amazing how this last clean out contained a third of my closet! Boy, I had high hopes in whatever was in that closet for 8 years. It’s made me think about how important it is to clean our closets out both physically and spiritually. There are some things I personally hold onto in that closet that are simply unused, or that I am holding onto for no good reason at all other than comparing my now life with the past. In scripture there are several references to “putting off” certain attitudes in the hearts like the anger of man, or to “put on” the garments of praise. Dropping your favorite dress that you haven’t worn in a long long time in that pile of "never to wear again" takes a certain resolve over the emotional attachment or even to the reality...”girl you just ain’t gonna fit in that again” rings in my head along with "join weight watchers and you'll look great in that again". If my body changes, trust me...I'm going shopping for new stuff!
I don’t collect a paycheck as I did in the past. Unlike other professionals, my bonus comes in the form of a Mother’s Day surprise as my kids do their best to serve me a breakfast of champions in the form of saltine sandwiches and dates for breakfast, with a card from the heart written in the best miss spelled all capitol letters. On those days, well, lets just say I feel like I got a promotion to CEO of Calvin Klein.
As a Mom though I never went to "mom school" or studied parenting at a big university. I often feel unequipped to handle stuff down the road as many Moms do. I wish I had more foreknowledge however as Mom about the stuff down the road for my own kids good. Trends in society don’t look to great. Especially with that Lady Gaga hatching out of an egg in a meat dress. But I am throwing my old ways to the side and putting on God’s ways of handling the future. Sometimes it’s tough having emotional attachment to things that I’ve stored up in my spiritual closet, especially those not so flattering tendencies that I might occasionally think look or feel great on. So with the coming of a new season- I am giving it to the Salvation Army which is no ironic twist. I lay those garments of shame, pain and hurt at the cross of Christ and put on that pure white custom made for me priestly garment that He has for waiting for me. My reward in this job will not come from the world’s praises of men but in the hope that I was a godly Mom hear "well done" from my heavenly Father. In the meantime, I am still working on that along the way “putting off” those old clothes the world would influence me to wear or that I am so attached to.
What's in your spiritual closet that you could give to the Salvation Army?
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